The day came when he was to start for London to join his aunt. He had decided to drive to Deal, as she had done, and there take a train for London; the fly was to come for him and his belongings immediately after breakfast. 'Linda breakfasted with them that morning, and seemed, Comethup thought miserably, brighter and happier than usual. For himself, he wondered what he should say to her, or what she would have to say to him, when the moment for parting came.
When the fly drew up at the door, he shook hands with the captain and then turned toward the girl. With downcast eyes she offered him her cheek and gave him her hand; but the captain cried: "Lips, you rogue; the boy's not kissing his grandmother!"
Blushingly she turned her face, and their lips met; and Comethup stumbled somehow out of the house. As he was getting into the fly she ran out of the garden and came close to him.
He turned, and leaned toward her. "Yes, 'Linda; what is it?"
"You're going to London; you may meet--may see Brian; oh, please carry my--my good wishes to him, and say I want to know what he is doing and if he is prospering. You will, won't you, Comethup?"
He looked at her eager face and nodded slowly and solemnly. "Yes," he said, "I'll tell him. We shall be sure to meet, you know; I'll certainly tell him. Good-bye!"
She smiled gratefully, and kissed her hand to him. He carried the remembrance of those last words of hers on the journey to London, and turned them over and over as he went.
Miss Charlotte Carlaw was awaiting the arrival of her nephew in the drawing room. "I'd have driven down, my dear boy, but I find I don't get any lighter as time goes on, and I thought you could possess your soul in patience until you saw me. Come here, giant. Lord! what a long time it seems since you first came into this house, a scrap of humanity I had to stoop to! And now you're so big as to make me feel uncomfortable; and your voice is deeper, and you've finished your school days. There, come and kiss a foolish old woman; I'm devilish proud of you, and I hear nothing but good reports of you. I've never said so before, but I say it now; it was the best day's work I ever did when I found you and brought you to London."